Front
Left front yard.

We still have lots of clearing to do (of trees). The whole back of the house needs to be cleared.

Right front yard.

Our little sauna-in-the-woods is down there in the back. The laundry room will be to the right of the house and we're also putting in a wrap-around porch. You won't be able to see the sauna. We're tossing around the idea of having the garage connected to this side of the house. The laundry room would be the breezeway.

I've always been opposed to having the laundry room as a breezeway. I didn't want anyone walking through it. But I also want an attached garage and that's the only way it'd work. Mark originally wanted it detached. I think the convenience of having it attached will be so much better.

This whole process has been so fun, for both of us! Mark and I both love the design process. We've worked on every detail together. (He knew how much it meant to me to do that). I love the whole interior design thing - from creating the house plans to the final decorating! As a little girl, I loved to sketch out house plans. I've always loved the idea of designing your own house.

Mark's not one to show great excitement. I do that enough for both of us. ;) But he really has been enjoying this house. He loves making the lumber and he loves building all of the angles. He's always said he'd rather build a house with angles than one without any day! (That includes when he's working on other people's houses). He thinks it's more fun and more challenging.

I've been feeling bad that I haven't been out to the house. The last time I stopped there was April 10. Actually, I stopped once or twice after that but I only know that date because I just looked in my archives to see when I took the last picture.

It was so fun to see so much change! But Mark told me he doesn't even want me out there. (When he said it, it wasn't as rude or as blunt as that just sounded. LOL). He builds houses for a living and there's nothing I can do to help right now. He said he only wants me out there when he has questions on things - or when he wants a second opinion on something or like when he wants another way to look at it, so-to-speak. I felt better after talking about it last night. I was only feeling bad because most girls I know, who are in the process of building, seem to be out there every day! And they're often helping out. But their husbands also don't build houses for a living. :)

I think he's planning to shingle this week. He's out there working today, Memorial Day. He made a deadline for himself - to get stuff done and move-in. I'm ecstatic! It's MUCH sooner than I would've ever expected. (He's temporarily resorted to buying lumber rather than making it - so, I know he's serious. LOL.) I'm just not saying when that deadline is. No need to jinx it! Because at the moment, I completely believe him when he says it's possible. He's been working like mad.

Just to clarify, real quick, when we move in - the walls will be painted. The floors too. We're going to make most of the flooring over time. So we're just painting them for now. And my kitchen won't be done. I'm going to collect mix-n-match vintage cabinets to install. And for the time-being, he's going to put in a used, temporary sink. I want an old sink - I just need to hunt for THE ONE. He'll also get one of the bathrooms up & running. (Notice, I didn't say 'finished')? :)

It will be a "rough" house for now. But who cares?! lol. It'll be ours! :) Six years of renting and we're finally getting our own. :)